Manipulating Destiny
by KujaWolf
Summary: AU: The Escaflowne cast are on Earth, will destiny prevail the same as on Gaea; the dragon falling for the winged goddess? Or will a certain school bully get in the way of destiny? (folkensora incl.)


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A/n this is another fic that I am taking very seriously, more so than that of '_Betrayal of Hearts_' I have taken a great deal of time planning and mapping out a few A1 sheets of character relationships. This chapter is an introduction to the Escaflowne characters and their friendships on Earth so excuse any slow start. This fic will lead you in wrong directions at time and I hope to make you feel what these characters are feeling. Thank you and I hope you enjoy my story. 

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Manipulating Destiny

Chapter 1

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'No surprises' 

'I wish you never told me

I wish I never knew

I wake up screaming

It's all because of you

So real these voices in my head' -Three Days Grace

Turning her thoughtless stare to the clock resting above the classroom door, Hitomi watched the soundless tick count down the remaining minutes of the school day. Pulling out her headphones from their fixed position in her ears, she began packing her schoolbooks away in preparation for the intruding school bell.

Feeling uneasy with the monotonous talking of the teacher and the eternity lasting few minutes, Hitomi shifted through her bag curious to see what lesson she was in. It was Geography: she hated geography.

Hitomi had only recently started the new school a few weeks ago and she had already become well known by everyone, somehow. Maybe it was because she was the best track runner on the team, but apart from that she was just, ordinary. She had moved because she had been excluded from the last school; not fulfilling the usual school criteria of actually doing any schoolwork. And it seemed that the same would happen to her at this school soon enough when the teachers would finally give up on her. Hitomi had given up hope a long time ago. Nothing ever exciting happened to her, it was just the same daily routine every day. 

Her heart thudded in her ears as the bell rang deafeningly through out the old school building. Hitomi smiled as she watched her friend Yukari walk towards her from the desk in front of her. 

'We've got homework by the way,' she beamed, 'just in case you didn't hear.'

'Great,' Hitomi replied, her smile faded. 'Another detention for not doing it I suppose.'

'Hey, you haven't even got home and started doing it,' she said, waving a finger at her. 'I'll come over tomorrow and I'll force you to do it, ok?'

'Thanks. It would be even nicer if you did it for me,' Hitomi joked while stretching and rising from her seat.

'I'm your friend, not your slave dear,' Yukari answered, winking at the yawning Hitomi.

'I'm sorry. Let's go,' Hitomi said as she left the classroom followed by her best friend.

Walking down the crowded corridors, Hitomi pushed through holding her bag out in front of her. Why are school corridors never big enough? Moving out of the school gates, Yukari and Hitomi made there way down a seldom-used road to avoid the crowds of loud teenagers.

'Oh my god, it's Allen,' Yukari muttered in excitement. 'But he's with that blonde bitch Milerna,' she continued with a growl.

'There's nothing going on between them Yukari, they're just good friends,' she said reassuringly to her steaming friend. 

'They better be. Come on Hitomi, you've hardly spoken to him since you've come here,' she ordered, dragging the brown eyed girl by the arm with little resistance. 

'I suppose he is rather cute,' Hitomi blushed.

'Well, there you go then. Quite a lot of the guys here are 'cute'' she replied before turning to yell at the blond boy ahead. 'Hey Allen!'

'Oh, hey Yukari,' he answered coolly, 'hey Hitomi,' he continued facing the blushing girl. 

'Hi Allen,' Hitomi answered shyly. 

'Come on Allen, I wanted to go get a coffee, you promised,' Milerna said sweetly in the blonde's ear.

'Alright, I'll see you two later,' he managed to say before Milerna tugged him off at a march down the road. 

'Friends, hey?' Yukari said, her face flickering red again.

'They are Yukari!' Hitomi pleaded. 'And anyway, there are plenty of other cute guys,' she said before resuming her walk, 'but he is nice though.'

Yukari growled but soon enough laughed as she ran to catch up with her friend. Despite being miserable all day during class, Hitomi compensated by being happy out of school. Isn't that the same with all students though? She smiled at the thought. 

'Next stop, Dilandau's,' Yukari declared.

'Huh?' Hitomi responded confused.

'Can't you hear it,' she asked.

'What, that thudding?'

'Yep, everyone knows that's Dilly's house. The music always seems to blare out his house; an open all hours party,' Yukari stated smiling. 'His parents never seem to be home, which is good because if they saw the state that house is in,' she continued drifting away from her sentence.

'Dilandau? Is he that guy that beat the shit out of Van Fanel today?' Hitomi asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

'That would be him. He beats the shit out of anyone who gets on the wrong side of him, which I'm grateful I'm not. He's so drugged up and off his head with alcohol that he probably doesn't know what he's doing,' she replied with what seemed slight sympathy in her voice. 

'Are you sure we want to go to his place? I mean I haven't even said 'hi ' to him since I've moved here. What if he doesn't like me?' Hitomi said with panic in her voice. 

'You probably haven't had the chance to say hi to him, he's always bunking off school, but don't worry. As I said, he's always off his head. And anyway, he always welcomes girls in to his house with open arms,' she spoke with her a grin on her face.

'No surprise, he's a bloke. Is that his house?' Hitomi pointed out as they moved closer to the thudding beats of music. 

'Yeah, just continue walking past as if you don't even care. He'll come out soon enough,' she answered, linking arms with Hitomi and walking on.

Hitomi gazed across the out spoken house. Windows were left swung open upstairs and downstairs, as the curtains blew about taunting the wind outside. His house resided in a run down area of town where cheap residential housing was readily available to those with little money, which to Hitomi were only a few rungs down the social ladder. 

Continuing past the beaten house, Hitomi jumped slightly as she heard what seemed to be a bottle smashing. Within a few seconds, the sound of shuffling and someone or something stumbling through the house erupted through the doorway. 

'Who put their fucking skateboard in the hallway?!' A masculine voice yelled, half muffled by the pounding music. 

Hitomi waited for a reply but heard only laughter from inside the house. Watching the doorway, the silver haired boy made his appearance, his eyes wandering and a half-empty bottle in his hand. His black baggy trouser clung on to him half way down his arse with the aid of a belt and his slightly tight black shirt was unbuttoned.

'Hey Yukari! Where you going girl? Don't you want to come into my humble abode and join the party?' Dilandau asked, moving from the porch and stumbling up the road towards the two girls.

'We're invited? I thought you were going to let us just walk on past for a moment then,' Yukari stated, her voice sarcastic as she turned to face the drunken boy. 

'You're always invited Yukari,' he answered, his eyes drifting up and down her body until they fell upon Hitomi. 'So who's this?' he asked, an eyebrow raised as he undressed her with his eyes.

'This is Hitomi,' she replied, pushing her friend forward.

'Erm, hi,' Hitomi said with a nervous smile.

'Oh, I know you. You're the new girl. Well, any friend of Yukari's is a friend of mine so you're welcome to my house anytime,' he said, his deep red eyes seeming to relax Hitomi's anxiety. 

'Thank you Dilandau,' she answered blushing. His eyes were so seductive that it was hard to pull her gaze away from him. 

'Well, are we going in then?' Yukari asked, breaking the unreadable link between Dilandau and Hitomi. 'And anyway, it's been ages since I've seen Chesta and the guys,' she continued.

'Ok then Yukari,' the albino sighed as he put his arms across the two girls' shoulders, hugging them close to his chest. 

Yukari smiled at her friend as she noticed the shade of red splashed across her face. Hitomi smiled back embarrassed by her obvious show of attraction towards the red eyed boy. Walking down the front garden path towards the front door, Dilandau paused as he heard the soft rumble of a car coming down the road.

'Van,' Hitomi heard him snarl through clenched teeth.

Looking up, Hitomi was caught by surprise as Dilandau was already looking back at her. 

'You'll have to excuse me ladies,' the albino continued with a smirk on his face as he let go of the two friends, 'I have a little dispute to settle.'

'Screw him Dilandau,' Yukari retorted, brushing her hair from eyes. 'Van's not worth your time.'

'I know. But scum like him need to be silenced once and for all,' Dilandau replied, his eyes sinking into a deeper red as he walked into the centre of the road. 

Hitomi's heart skipped a beat as she listened to his hatred tainted words. What did he mean by being silenced? Hitomi knew that the school bully Dilandau and the know-it-all Van had their disagreements, but he wouldn't go as far as to want to kill him. Or would he? Hitomi's heart fluttered again. Speeding up the road, an open top sports car was heading directly for the silver haired youth that stood in the road, his arms spread open at his side as if in sacrifice.

'Is he trying to kill himself?!' Hitomi yelled, tugging at her friend's arm desperately.

'Don't worry, he does this all the time. One day though, Van will hit him so hard with the front of that car that Dilly won't get up,' Yukari spoke with such seriousness that tears stood in her eyes. 

Dilandau kept his eyes open and alight with fire as the car sped closer and closer towards his welcoming body. 'If Van hits me with that car it will be the day hell freezes over,' he thought to himself. 'At least it will mean I'll have to go to heaven instead,' he added with a smile. 

'Van, please don't do this,' Merle pleaded, pulling at the raven-haired boy's arm as he clung to the steering wheel.

'This time Merle, he's going down. His ways are coming to an end and he's smoked his last spliff,' Van said, unmoved by the rushing wind and the girl tugging at his arm. 

'No Van! Not this time, don't sink to his level. You're better than that!' she yelled, tears streaming down her face. 

Van seemed to shudder as he blinked rapidly, as if just waking up to the potential consequences of his actions. Close enough to see the glare of the albino's red eyes, Van stepped on the brakes and swerved to avoid him. Merle screamed as the car felt it was going to turn on its side but Van knew what he was doing. A few metres after passing the sacrificial albino, the car came to a halt. 

'You're right Merle, I am better than that,' Van spoke shakily, his hands still on the wheel. 

Merle stared at him. Her heart fluttered erratically beneath her chest as she tried to compose herself from the ordeal. 'Thank God. If you keep driving like this, I'm never going in a car with you again,' Merle managed to breathe out. 'We didn't even have to drive down this road!' she added in anger.

'I know, and I'm sorry-'

'You missed me again Van,' Dilandau interrupted sarcastically, walking in front of the bonnet of the car. 'You owe me a duel for that.'

'He'll do no such thing Dilandau,' Merle said with authority, pulling herself out of the car to talk to the albino.

'Oh hey Merle, didn't see you there,' Dilandau spoke, dismissing what she had previously said. 'I do sometimes wonder how I could have missed you,' he added, looking her up and down with a faint smile.

Merle blushed madly as she tugged at the bottom of her short black dress. She should have slapped him for his comment but there was something irresistible about Dilandau, which could be forgiven.

Van woke up from his daze; he couldn't believe he had got so close this time to actually hitting Dilandau. He watched as Merle and Dilandau continued to dance around each other in the arguing before turning his attention to his wing mirror. Then he saw her. This time he was going to speak to her, the girl who had captured his heart since the first time she had walked into his life, Hitomi. Getting out of the car, Van made his way to the two girls as one of them waved frantically.

'Hey Van!' Yukari yelled, assuming the role of 'everyone's friend.'

Van weakly waved back, his body still shaky from earlier. Walking closer he offered his hand, 'Hi, I'm Van.'

Hitomi took his hand and shook still dazed and confused by the previous events, 'Hey, I'm Hitomi. I've seen you around school,' she replied, putting on a smile effortlessly.

Blushing slightly, Van pushed for conversation with the auburn-eyed girl that made his heart flutter erratically in his chest. 'I apologise for my actions earlier, it's been a long day,' he said hesitantly, rubbing the back of his hand in embarrassment. 'He's an asshole and well,' he looked up at Hitomi's unreadable face before dropping the subject. 'So, how you doing at school?' he asked expectantly. 

'It's ok I guess,' she replied, politely ignoring his former rant. 'I think it's the social side of things that's more important than the academic. School can be hell if no one likes you,' Hitomi continued, looking down at the floor some what disappointed.

'You've got nothing to worry about Hitomi, everyone likes you,' Van said quickly, moving forward reflecting his confidence in his words.

Hitomi raised her gaze to the raven-haired boy who was beaming at her, 'Thanks,' she said, returning the smile.

Van's heart fluttered all over his body as he melted at her innocent smile; she was beautiful, she was out of his league. Any guy could have her apart from him. Van was a social reject and Hitomi had already spoken her view that she wouldn't want to be a part of that, and Van wouldn't let that happen. His smile flickered and his heart trembled, trying to hold on to the hope that he could one day be with her.

'If you've quite finished chatting my girls up Van, you can leave,' Dilandau glared from across the road.

Van swung around, however not before Hitomi witnessed his face reflect pure hatred. 'I'm quite entitled to go anywhere I want Dilandau,' Van answered coolly. 

'Really? You come on to my turf and try to kill me, I think you better leave!' Dilandau shouted loosing his patience.

'Come on Van, let's just go,' Merle said before Van could give his more than likely offensive reply.

'Fine. But I will get you back for hitting me at school earlier today,' Van answered, getting into his car.

Surprisingly, Dilandau ignored the threat, probably due to the alcohol. 'Have a nice day Van!' The albino shouted after the speeding away car. Turning to Hitomi and Yukari he said, 'I'm sorry about that ladies, you get jerks like that sometimes. Let's go inside now.'

'It's about time,' Yukari said exasperated. Grabbing her friend's arm, she followed the albino through the door.

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A/n Thank you for reading to the end of this chapter. If there aren't enough or even any reviews, I'll discontinue this story. As in many people's cases, self-confidence is something I lack greatly. 

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*_◙** ~** **ĻдĐЎ wЋίTЄшθŁЃ** **~**◙**_***

ladywhitewolf_inabluemoon@hotmail.com 


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